Desperado: A Holes Fanfiction

Ty

"You are never going to guess what I found," I plopped in my assigned seat, next to Squid, at the D-Tent dinner table to share my latest discovery. The boys were settled in with X-Ray sitting at the head of the table, as usual. I spoke at rapid speed, keeping the volume low from eavesdroppers.

"The warden has this room in her cabin filled with old artifacts and books that she's always begging me to read and, of course, I never read them. But then I found this," I removed a small burgundy journal from under my shirt and carefully placed it on the table before me. The boys leaned in, covering the artifact from onlookers with their heads. The energy that vibrated off of its surface was so pure, magnetic; I had to fight to remove my hand from its cover.

"A diary?" Squids face twisted in confusion.

"Does it tell us what we're digging for?" Armpit asked.

"No, it tells us much more," I furiously flipped through the aged-stained pages for the most important part. Hector popped his head up and surveyed the mess hall for onlookers. We were in the clear. I found the page and turned the diary around for X-Ray to see.

He adjusted his oversized glasses and looked closely as he read, "Dust of the land, Blood of the creature, Inhabitants join hands to reveal the missing feature?" He looked up at me with disappointment, "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means –" I took a breath to control my excitement and lowered my voice, "It's the recipe for a rainstorm. A spell," The word spell came out with a sigh. Spells usually came to me in my dreams. It was new to find one in writing. He looked at me with an empty expression to explain further, "Dust of the land; Dirt, obviously. Blood of the creature; a creature native to the land, I'm assuming. Inhabitants; Us. Missing feature; Rain. It's clear as day." I rapidly tapped my finger on the open page and looked up at the boys for reassurance.

"So what's the creature?" X asked.

"A yellow spotted lizard," the words escaped Ziggy's mouth like they would be his last. His eyes were wide with excitement.

"That's right," I said as I cracked a smile. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as if I'd just discovered gold, "The only living creature native to Green Lake is the yellow spotted lizard."

"How are we gonna get close enough to one to steal its blood?" Squid asked, "We'll get killed before that happens."

The conversation was promptly interrupted by Armpit obnoxiously clearing his throat, a signal we established in the early days of "Bible Study". I swiftly closed the old diary and shoved it back under my shirt. It was the new kid. Ziggy waved him over to the table with a smile, absent of any suspicion.

"Bring a yellow spotted lizard and yourselves tonight for the full moon. I'll handle the rest," I spoke rapidly in a whisper just before the new kid chose the empty spot next to mine.

-------------------------------------------

How a kid, who hasn't said a word in a month, managed to nearly indict the both of us in one day is beyond me. What was Hector thinking? Did they have red x's on them? This is why I told him to keep his mouth shut as soon as we got to camp. I swear his conscious is going to be the death of him; The death of us. We agreed to never speak of those shoes again. If anyone were the find out the truth about Sweet Feet's shoes, the system would separate us for sure. When Hector got caught lifting a pair of shoes from Payless, they took him in and sentenced him to do time at Camp Green Lake. We lost our spots at the shelter and the court was going to send me to a boarding school for girls across the country. Thank God Lou was there to grant me her mercy.

"I'll take her," she said when she stood up at the back of the courtroom. She was alone that day in her Sunday's best. She looked like an angel to me. "My camp is for boys. But, your honor I cannot sit here and allow you to separate twins. Let me take her in. I'll raise her as she's my own. Please?"

I know everyone is afraid of her, but Lou isn't so bad. I could tell the first time she rubbed by back after I woke up from a usual nightmare. They've come every night since we've been here. It always starts the same: Men on horses are chasing me through a burning town. I run and scream for help but it's like nobody can hear me. They just stand there and watch as I'm hunted. And just before they catch up to me, just before I fall from not being able to run anymore, I wake up. And there she always is to hush me back to sleep with a cup of hot tea.

"Shhhhh," she'd hush as she rocked me in her arms, "It's only a bad dream." I've been here a month and she's already done more for me than my mother ever has. From her touch alone, I could tell she only wanted me to be comfortable. Her love was sincere. She wanted me. Something I never got from the woman who birthed my brother and I.

I knew the boys were on the laundry room porch before they knocked. They are awful at being incognito. I spend nights in there listening to music when I can't sleep. I swung the screen door open and there stood X, Pit, Squid, and the new kid. Did they have to all come at once? I've told the guys several times, "Stagger your arrivals or someone will notice." Squid must have caught the disdain on my face. He held up an old backpack with a goofy smile.

"Is that what I asked for?"

"Have I ever let you down before?" I stuck my head out and checked for the clearance.

"Come in. Hurry," I whispered. I'd shut the lights off in the laundry room to avoid suspicion. The candles I found would make up for the lost light once we got started. Mr. Sir gets weird when I'm not in bed after hours, so I try to keep Bible Study low key. If Lou notices at all, she doesn't speak on it. The boys gathered around the table with the backpack placed in the middle. "Well, let's see it," I said anxiously.

X-Ray sighed and unzipped the bag. I took a peak inside. "What the hell am I suppose to do with this?"

"What? You said you wanted a yellow spotted lizard," said X.

"A live one. The spell won't work on this carcass." To me, the instructions were clear. I pinched the dead lizard's tail and pulled it out of the bag. I dropped its limp body onto the table like lunch meat. I looked around the room at the weary eyed boys in front of me. "Where's my brother?"

"Sleep," Squid crossed his arms in front of his chest and licked his lips, "Besides, we thought tonight would be the perfect opportunity for our newest initiate." He slapped the skittish new kid on the back.

"What difference does it make? You're just gonna kill it anyway," X whined.

"The difference is I need its blood. I need its soul. This lizard is all dried out like a potato chip. And its head is missing!" The stench then presented itself and I nearly gagged. I pulled my night shirt over my nose. "Ugh, get it out of here. It stinks."

"That's Pit,' said Squid. The other boys snorted.

"Man, shut up," Pit spat

"You shut up," Squid took a step towards him.

"Both of you shut up before we all get caught. If you want to see a rain, bring me a live yellow spotted lizard on the next full moon. K?" Pit and Squid were calculating in their heads. They looked so much like they were in pain that i nearly begged them to give up. The new kid, kept his eyes low. He's a quiet one. I don't like it. Or maybe I do. I'm not sure. He's intriguing.

"Noted," X said with an attitude, "Anything else your highness?"

"Leave. We're done here." I turned around and waved a hand in dismissal. I felt one warm body approach me slowly. "You too, Squid." He sighed and stomped out of the laundry room.